


Wise Men Say...

by itisunreal



Series: May I Have This Dance [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Elvis - Freeform, F/M, don't quote me my fluff meter is broken, less fluffy than last time i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 06:39:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10803831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itisunreal/pseuds/itisunreal
Summary: May returns home from vacation, and isn't pleased with what she finds, but has a hard time staying upset with Coulson.





	Wise Men Say...

**Author's Note:**

> i'm bad at summaries. and i still don't own anything except my cat.

“DC, you gotta help,” Daisy says barging through his closed door.

On a normal day, he’d send her out to knock before letting her back in. He’s slowly been retraining all of them, not knowing where they’d gotten the idea that they could just let themselves in at any time, for any reason. And he almost does, like so many times before, but holds off at her agitated hands, and shining eyes.

“What’s the matter?”

She smiles, hands falling quietly to her sides. “May’s back.” Pausing, she allows the information to sink in for a moment, and places herself in the seat across from him. “Walked in an hour ago, looked around, dropped her bags, and has been silently, tensely, scrubbing dishes ever since. She hasn’t uttered a word, and it’s starting to freak people out.”

He stands, planning to round his desk, leave, but thinks better if it, and sits again. “Why didn’t anybody tell me?”

“I assumed whoever was on the door mentioned it.”

Coulson shakes his head. “Have you tried talking to her?”

Daisy reins in a grin as he resituates, and holds his position, pretending he doesn’t want to make for the door and find her. “She’s responding purely in eye rolls, and frowns.”

Placing his paperwork in its file, he shoves it to the side of his desk, and taps his fingers nervously. She’s back. She’s _finally_ back, and he’s giddy and wired because she’s here, and upset apparently, and they haven’t spoken in a while, and he’s missed her. Almost more deeply than he cares to pretend otherwise, but he has face to keep, an agency to run, and it wouldn't do to have him running full speed through the base. The nerves mingle with excitement though, anticipation choking him, and his stomach flips at the mere thought of seeing her again, of being that close. It’s been so long, and he hasn’t been this nervous to see her since he let her wander off into that warehouse alone.

He stands again, slowly, movement tight and controlled. He doesn’t want to seem too eager to get down there, but can tell by the way Daisy’s gaze follows him that she can see right through his game. Can see the urgency building within him.

Rapping his knuckles on his desk, Coulson clears his throat, and nods. “I’ll look into it. Thanks for letting me know.” He hopes she’ll take the dismissal for what it is, and leave without question or comment.

And she seems to as she backs out, a sideways smile appearing as she goes.

 

* * *

 

His trek to the kitchen goes by faster than he means for it to. He wanted... needs more time to prepare what he's going to say, to organize his thoughts, but he hadn’t been able to slow his feet or heart any.

So here he stands, in the entryway of this ridiculously large room, and she’s across the way: back to him, shoulders rigid, a stack of clean dishes beside her, and a nearly empty sink in front.

Readying himself to break the ice, he startles as he hears her, and can’t help the small blip that skips across his chest.

“Are you coming in or not?”

His excitement dies a little at her tone, nerves back in full force. She doesn’t want to be here, and this isn’t the reaction he’d been planning for, not that he knew what he’d been expecting, only that she’d be back. That everything would be back on track. Whatever happened to cause this though, he'll deal with it. They’ll deal with it.

Swallowing hard, he steps closer, away from the relative safety of the hallways, a close exit, and wishes he’d been detoured on this his way. He could’ve been better prepared for this, for her like this, made sure his heart wasn’t so set on something this unpredictable. He hadn't thought she would be.

He stops beside her, focuses on the dirty water, watching as her hands search through it for any lingering utensils.

Breathing out a sigh, he tries to forgot the familiarity of this scene, it’s tone so different, and orders himself to get it over with, that everything will be better once this is over. The waiting's the hardest part. Everything will smooth out once it's in the open. One weight lifted, a different one added. He should have waited for a better time. But he never considered she’d come back like this, and his chest hurts a little at the thought that he’s responsible, that he pushed her to the point of running, and in her return she’s still so angry. He hadn’t meant to, just had to let it out. “Look, if I made you uncomfortable before you left-”

“Phil?” She pauses, hands still submerged, waiting for his gaze to find hers. “Shut up.”

Shushing him as he tries to regroup and restart, she pulls the stopper, and let’s the water drain away. Drying her hands, she turns toward him, and leans against the counter. “How long was I gone?”

“What?”

The bewilderment alone is almost enough for her to crack a smile before she quells the urge. “Just answer the question.”

He mirrors her posture, arms crossed. “Six-ish weeks.” He throws out, pretending he hasn’t been counting the hours.

“And in that time, did anyone within this base do their job or act like an adult of any kind?”

Brows creasing, he shakes his head in confusion. This isn’t where he’d seen this conversation going. “What are you talking about?”

She gestures to the area she’s just cleaned. “Dishes piled in the sink, the place hasn’t been dusted in god knows how long, there are crumbs everywhere. No one was posted at the southern entrance when I came in. That’s the main issue I have. I could have been anyone, and I just walked right in.”

His brow relaxes, and the pressure along his ribs lessens as he let’s out a laugh. “That’s what you’re upset about?” He’ll admit the place has been looking a little rough, but he fully intended for it to be put right before her return… she just beat him to it. He can also admit that there’s been _some_ slacking off, but it could be easily remedied. Somehow her vacation had turned into everyone’s vacation.

She shakes her head as if she only just now realizes what he’d said. “Why would you think you made me uncomfortable?”

He stiffens at her easy prodding, readying himself for this blow, the one he’d expected earlier. For when everything crumbles down because he’d decided he was finally tired of playing it safe. And the rejection would only be fair, he’d done it to her. “Because you left.”

Eyes roll as her posture loosens. “I was already planning on going. Nothing you said was going to change that. I needed some time, and you-” She reaches out, cupping his cheek, delighted as he nestles in. “You had bad timing like always.”

It takes a minute before his brain seems to understand what she’s said. “What does that mean?”

“It means… you mean a lot to me, and we’ll see.”

“A lot?”

“Yeah.” She nods, letting her hand fall. “A lot.”

He’s beaming now, can feel it. His cheeks hurt, and if he were made of light, they’d all be blind. It’s a little embarrassing, the immensity of these feelings, but mostly right. How he hasn’t run out of luck yet, he doesn’t and will never know or understand, but he’s thankful anyway. “You know what wise man say…”

“That if you can’t keep your people in check while I’m away, we’re going to have some issues?”

“Not quite. That would be harder to fit into the song.” Grabbing her hand, he pulls her to him, hand at her waist, and begins them swaying.

“Why does everything lead to dancing with you?”

“ _Only fools rush in…_ also because you love it."

“This has been going on far too long for it to be considered rushing by any stretch of the imagination.”

“ _But I can’t help falling in love with you…”_

She looks at him, single eyebrow raised. “I think I prefer when you quote Rogers.”

He shrugs, unconcerned with the assessment. “What can I say? _I’m in love, and I’m all shook up, huh-huh..."_

He won’t stop saying it, and she can’t help the smile it brings or the warmth that spreads through her chest, down into her belly, but… “Why’d you wait so long?”

That contented expression slides away to something sadder, and he won’t let it stay there, never’s been able to. He’s always felt so hopeless when she’s sad. “ _When I first saw you with your smile so tender, my heart was captured, my soul surrendered. I’d spend a lifetime waiting for the right time, now that you’re near, the time is here at last..._ ”

A smirk sneaks through that peeking regret, and he spins her out, pulls her back in.

“Are you going to continue quoting Elvis songs or are we gonna talk?”

“What is it you want to talk about?”

“Why wait so long?”

“Nerves mostly, at first. Then we where out of school, started working, you found Andrew, and were so happy. I wasn’t going to stand in the way of that. If you were happy than I was happy. Then Bahrain happened, and you just disappeared. One day there, the next gone, and I couldn’t reach you, didn't know how..." He trails off as her eyes stray from him, can sense the melancholy growing. "I died, came back, and now here we are.”

She rests her head against his shoulder, doesn’t want to see the kindness in his stare. Didn't deserve it, had done so many awful things. Plenty of them had been treasonous acts against him, but he kept taking her back. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not. I knew it’d happen when it was supposed to, if it was meant to happen at all.”

The silence surrounds them. It’s soft, comforting in a way it hasn’t been for a while. And she’s satisfied enough to leave it at that, but pops up from her resting place with a thought. “What about letting everything go to hell around here?”

He smiles again, just can’t stop. Everything’s going so well. _“Well, since my baby left me, I found a new place to dwell, it’s down at the end of lonely street at Heartbreak Hotel. I’ve been so lonely baby. Well, I’m so lonely… Well, I’m so lonely, I could die...”_

Laughing, she swats at him with her free hand. “You’re impossible.”

“ _Like I river flows surely to the sea, darling so it goes some things are meant to be. Take my hand, take my whole life, too. For I can’t help falling in love with you…”_

He keeps humming, spinning them round and round, and he doesn’t seem to plan on stopping any time soon, so she settles in. Allows his flow to pull her along. It’s enough, but his hums turn to murmurs as the minutes pass, and murmurs to actual words, and he’s at it again, singing to a tune only he can hear.

“ _Her hair so lovely, her skin so fair, I could go on and never end. Oh, I can’t help I’m in love with the girl, she’s my best friend…”_

“That’s not how that one goes.”

He shrugs her comment off. “I always thought it needed a slight tweak.”

“Are you trying to sweet talk me?”

She almost looks a little offended as he shakes his head. “No. Why? Is it working?”

“No.”

“Little bit?”

“No.”

“Then no, I’m not.” He clears his throat then, and holds on tighter. “ _Your precious love cannot be erased by just another woman with a pretty face. And your memory, you know it will remain for it cannot be erased. Other loves may come along, they can’t live up to you. That’s cause I’m no good, I’m no good to anyone after loving you…”_

She sighs reluctantly at his antics, already far more use to them than she would willing want to be. It’s always better to just go along with them though, wait for him to tucker himself out. “Little bit.”

They stop, and he steps back, pulling away from her. And she misses to contact as it goes. “Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“Impromptu date night?” He suggests, and laughs as her eyes roll again. “I don’t recall you minding the last time too much.”

“This isn’t going to get you out of letting the base fall apart.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

She pulls him back though, starting their dance again, and realigns into her previous position. "In a minute though, I'm comfortable."

He rests his chin lightly on top of her head, barely shuffling his feet. "As you wish."

 

* * *

 

Head up, Daisy’s mouth falls open as she spots them swaying back and forth through a window. Having glass walls maybe wasn’t the best idea.

Crouching down, she crawls to the partially open door, and waits. This is so much better than last time. How does this even keep happening to her? No one is going to believe it.

She holds her breath trying to hear what’s being said better. They never could do her the courtesy of speaking up, projecting, but – Wait, was he – was he singing? She almost wishes she had her phone to record this. Coulson singing is something she’d never thought she’d see - uh, hear.

‘ _I’m just a hunk, a hunk of burning love. Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love…’_

She can almost physically feel May’s eyes roll back, but the grin she sees tells her that her SO isn’t minding the nonsense too much. Daisy flubs then, too distracted as her hand slips off the doorknob – when had she grabbed it – and the resulting sound has May’s gaze snapping right to her. And she’s stuck, a startled deer, telling her feet to flee, but staying firm.

Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god. OhgodOhgodOhgod – abort! Abort mission.

She lied, it’s not. This is _not_ better. Not better at all. This has been her worst executed idea to date. Not that that had been her plan originally, but still… Sneaking around is _not_ nice, and she has learned her lesson.

An excuse tumbles out as she stands, and slowly backs up. “Don’t mind me. I was just leaving, have some things to do, money to collect. Have a nice evening.” She wiggles her fingers in a nerve filled goodbye, and closes the door. She’s never eavesdropping again.

She shrugs, well… never’s a long time.


End file.
